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Peter R. Durland papers, 1938-1999, Date acquired: 04/01/1999, bulk 1944-1945

 

Summary

Creator:
Durland, Peter R.
Extent:
1.00 folders
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Peter R. Durland papers, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_99_0166.

Background

Scope and content:

The Peter R. Durland papers illustrate Captain Peter R. Durland's experiences during his time as a member of the 70th Infantry Division and 29th Infantry Division of the United States Army from 1943-1946. From 1945-1946, Durland served as Major General Leroy Watson's aide, completing various tasks for the General and accompanying him to the Nuremberg Trials. The collection includes an oral history interview transcript, photographs, and papers related to the war crime trials.

Biographical / historical:

Peter R. Durland was born in Norfolk, Nebraska on October 17, 1922. He attended the University of Nebraska before enlisting in 1943. He was selected for the Army Specialized Training Program, as well as the Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. After he completed basic training in June of 1944 at Camp Roberts, California, he was assigned to the 70th Infantry Division out of Camp Adair, Oregon. The division was sent overseas aboard the Ile de France to France, where he fought from October 1944- February 1945.

His unit fought mostly along the Siegfried line and in one day forced the Germans to retreat and captured sixty German soldiers. He and his unit were awarded the Silver Star for their actions. In early 1945 he was called back to his division's headquarters to work as an assistant to Major General Leroy Watson who was the Commanding General to the 70th infantry. Durland was given office work as well as other tasks to help the Major General. He worked in Czechoslovakia and during the Nuremberg Trials in Germany. He was able to witness the trials but returned to the United States before they ended. He was discharged in August of 1946 and became a member of the FBI before moving to Tallahassee, Florida to be an attorney.

Acquisition information:

Peter R. Durland

Donated.

Custodial history:

Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.

Accruals:

Addition on 01/22/2013

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open to all researchers.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Peter R. Durland papers, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_99_0166.

Location of this collection:
116 Honors Way
Tallahassee
FL
32306-2047
USA